Operating mechanism for mechanical players.



APPLICATION FILED JULY 6,1907.

Patented Mar. 1, 1910.

T O V E J w W. F. COOPER. ()PERATING MECHANISM FOR MECHANICAL PLAYERS.

APPLIGATIOK FILED JULY 6,1907.

Patented Mar. 1, 1910.

Z SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED snares PATENT.

WILLIAM F. CQOPER, OF NOB-WALK, OHIO, ASSIGNOB TO THE A. B. CHASE GOMPANY, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

OPERATING IVIECIIANISIVI FOR MECHANICAL PLAYERS.

senses,

T 0 all whom "it may concern:

Be it known that l, Wnmmi I Coornn, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Norwalk, in the county of Huron, State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Operating Mechanism for Mechanical Players, of which the fol lowing is a specification.

My invention relates to player grand pianos and more particularly to the treadle mechanism for operating the bellows thereof.

The object of my invention is to provide an improved form of treadle mechanism, for a player grand piano, which may be moved from the operating to an inoperative posi' tion, and vice versa, with the greatest possible ease in order to permit the instrument to be played manually or automatically, and

also to so construct and arrange the parts that when placed in an inoperative position the treadle mechanism will be folded in a compactand. obscure position that will not interfere with the appearance of the instrument.

Another object is to provide an operative connection between the treadle mechanism' and their corresponding pumping bellows,

" larly described.

Referring to the drawin igure 1 is a front view of a pedal support for a piano when the treadle mechanism is in its inoperative position and closed within the casing of the pedal support, Fig. 2 is a cross-section through the center of the structure of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. l but with the treadles in the operating position, Fig. l is a crosssection on the line 4- iof Fig. Fig. 5 shows my invention applied to a grand piano, showing the position of the bellows under the piano.

A, Figs. 2 and i, indicates one of the'piano legs ands. indicates a. part of the piano casing from which the pedal support of the piano is carried. The pedal support comprises 2 posts B, ll, and an intermediate cas- 111g which is in the form of a shallow box extending .down almost to the floor and carrying the usual piano pedals l). The front I Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 6, 1907.

Patented Mar. ll, idiot),

Serial No. 382,454.

C of the box or casing is hinged. at the top at o and also has a hinge 0 near the bottom enabling the lower part of the front C to be folded within the casing as indicated in Fig. at when the treadles are to be placed in their operating position.

The two treadles E and E are hinged at their forward ends to a rod G. This rod is fixed at a definite position in front of the pedal support by the rods H, which are pivotallv secured to a rod G at their, outer ends. The inner ends of these rodsH are carried by hinged mountings it inside of the casing G.

The hinged mountings-h are located at a substantial distance above the bottom of the casing, while the lower ends (2, and e, in

their movement each take one position in which its rear end is inside the casing close to the bottom thereof. This is the position shown in Fig. e for the rod 6. The length of the rod 6 (or 6') added to that of the treadle E (or E) is equal to the vertical distance from the axis of the hinged mountthe members H the parts will all be forced to take the position shown in Fig, 52.

F are arms extending downward from the pumping bellows l and connected to the rods e, e at their lower ends. These arms are fastened solidly at their upper ends to the movable leaves of the pumping bellows so that upon the depression of the pedals, the rods 6, 6 being forced downward and backward will cause the pumping or enhausting bellows to open upward, swing 1g upon the hinge point i. This upward movement of the bellows l exhausts air from the reservoir J in the customary manner.

This, as will readily be seen, is very etiic'ient construction whereby the number of connectionsto the bellows of grand piano, which must necessa mote from the pedal mechanism, rially reduced.

Having thus described my invention what 1 claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a player grand piano a piano, a; treadle mechanism a pumping or exhausting bellows placed horizontally under the piano and an arm extending downward therefrom, and connected to the actuating treadle mech anism.

2. In a player grand piano a piano, a treadle mechanism a pumping or exhausting bellows placed horizontally under the piano close to the bottom thereof and an arm extending downward therefrom and connected to the actuating treadle mechanism.

3. In a player grand piano a. piano, a treadle mechanism a pumping or exhausting bellows placed horizontally under the piano close to the bottom thereof and an arm extending downward and forward therefrom and connected to the actuating treadle mechanism.

4. In a player grand piano a piano, a treadle mechanism, an actuating rod a pumping or exhausting bellows placed horizontally under the piano close to the bottom thereof and anarm extending downward and forward therefrom and connected to the actuating rod of the treadle mechanism.

5. In a player grand piano av piano, a treadle mechanism, an actuating rod a pumping or exhausting bellows placed horizontally under the piano and opening upward and an arm attached thereto extending downward and pivoted to the actuated rod attached to the player treadle.

6. In a. player grand piano, a support, a treadle in front thereof, a member hinged at one end to the front of the treadle and at its other end having a hinged mounting upon said support, an actuating member hinged at one end to the treadle and having its other end at one position extending to a point below said hinged mounting, the sum of the length of the treadle and said actuating member being substantially the same as the length of the first-named men'iber added to the vertical distance between the said hinged mounting and the rear end of the actuating member, a pumping or ex hausting bellows connected with the piano and an arm extending downward therefrom and pivoted to said actuating member.

7. In a player grand piano, a support, a g treadle in front thereof, a member hinged at one end to the front of the treadle and at 1 its other end having a hinged mounting to said support, and an actuating member hinged at one end to the treadle and having its other end atone position extending to a point below said hinged mounting, the sum i of the length of the treadle and said actuating member being substantially the same as the length of the first-named member added to the vertical distance between the said hinged mounting and the rear end of the actuating n'ien'iber, a pumping or exhausting bellows placed horizontally under the piano and an arm extending downward therefrom and pivoted to said actuating member.

8. In a player grand piano, a support, a treadle in front thereof, a member hinged'at one end to the front of the treadle and at its other end having a hinged mounting to said support, an actuating member hinged at one 7. end to the treadle and having its other end in one position extending to a point below said hinged mounting, a pumping or ex hausting bellows placed horizontally under the piano, and an arm extending downward i and forward therefrom and connected "to the said actuating member of the treadle mechanism.

9. The combination with a grand p of a box lyre mounted beneath the Pit and player piano pedals mounted upon foldable within the box lyre.

10. The COIIlbllltltlOll with a grand piano, of a box lyre mounted beneath the piano, a closure for the front of the box lyre and 3) player piano pedals hinged upon the box lyre, and foldable outward to operative posi tion and inwardly to inoperative position.

11. The combination with a grand piano. of a box lyre mounted beneath the piano, 9; ordinary piano pedals mounted upon the box lyre and player piano pedals mounted upon the box lyre and foldable within the box with the (n'dinary pedals ren'iaining without the box.

In testimony whereof, I have ood my name to this specifici'ition, in the pies'ence of two subscribing witnesses.

-WILLIAM l. COOPER.

\Yil'nesses:

E. D. tiacnnr'r, it. Lawson. 

